


Clickbait

by Frostandcoal



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Epistolary, M/M, Mixed Media, News Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 15:35:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11694666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostandcoal/pseuds/Frostandcoal
Summary: It is fitting that Josten is set to don a Dragons’ uniform. Like his new mascot, Josten is a fire-breathing, relentless, somewhat mythical creature whose very existence seems larger than life. And Minyard is the perfect manifestation of a Cyclone; an inescapable, violent maelstrom of unpredictability, where your only chance of survival is to hunker down and wait out the storm.What happens when a dragon battles a force of nature? That’s what we’re all waiting to find out.The media reacts to teammates-turned-rivals in the summer before Neil Josten’s first year in the pro’s.





	Clickbait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ilgaksu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilgaksu/gifts).



> Written for the AFTG_Exchange, for the request "anything to do with media reactions to their pro careers/the MINYARD-JOSTEN RIVALRY" -- I had waaaay too much fun with this, turns out I could write a million words of fake media articles about these two??? 
> 
> Note: I used some of Nora’s expanded canon in regard to Andrew and Neil’s pro-careers; this is set right before Andrew’s second season as a pro, and Neil’s first. I took liberties with team names/locations.

**Exy Official App**

_ Breaking News: Atlanta Jackrabbits trade goalkeeper Andrew Minyard to Chicago  _

The Atlanta Jackrabbits announced today that they have traded goalkeeper Andrew Minyard ( click here for stats ) to the Chicago Cyclones. Minyard, who was named Goalkeeper of the Year following his first professional season with the Jackrabbits, helped steer his team to the top of division for the first time in franchise history. Minyard was traded to Chicago for dealer Anna-Marie LeFevre and two conditional draft picks. 

When asked if the trade had anything to do with the rumors that Minyard wasn’t well-liked by the organization, manager Cole Dash had this to say: “We have a lot of respect for Andrew’s skill as a goalkeeper, that goes without question. It’s a matter of where we, as an organization, felt we were weakest and what we needed to improve. We think LeFevre will be a better fit for us, both on the court and in the locker room. The Jackrabbits wish Andrew the best in Chicago.” 

Andrew Minyard was not available for comment. 

**Reddit (r/exy)**

_ Subreddit: r/jackrabbits _

[posted by: 1exymotherfucker] WTF is with this Minyard trade??? DID WE REALLY DO THIS, TEAM? REALLY?? Why do you get rid of the guy who won the award for best fucking goalkeeper??? WHY??? Oh my god I hate this team I’m done. 

[comment: jackmyrabbit] I think it’s probably because no one likes him lol like i heard his teammates throw darts at his picture and reporters are afraid of him. Srsly though he never did any of the press stuff they wanted him to. One time someone asked him about why he never showed up in any of the charity event pictures or whatever, and he said he gave his money because “his time was worth infinitely more.” Which I mean, come on dude you’re getting millions to play a sport for a living don’t be an asshole :/ 

[comment: bunnyjackjill] I don’t give a shit if anyone likes him or not, he’s the best goalie in the fucking league and we got rid of him for a DEALER we don’t even need??? Who cares if he donates money instead of posing for stupid photo opps, he was a beast in goal jfc I hate caring about sports so much. Season hasn’t started and we’re already doomed :( I’m gonna start watching fucking hockey.  

[comment: exmeupbaby69] oh maaaan i’m sad to lose him and yeah it’s because he’s good but also i kind of love that he’s a dick tbh. Remember that time they gave him shit about being a bad role model for kids to look up to b/c he smokes and he blew smoke at that reporter’s FACE and was like “luckily they don’t have very far to look” lmaooo best of luck in Chi-Town little ball of hate, we’ll miss you down south. 

[comment: sheila052487] HA I remember that! I like when they asked him last season if he was scared to play against Kevin Day and he was all, “Kevin who?” and like you could tell the reporter didn’t know if he should actually say KDay’s last name or not *snorts*. 

[comment: exyfanjan] Ahaha I didn’t know any of that stuff but now I’m sad he’s leaving and want to buy his jersey, maybe they’ll put it on sale at the pro-shop. Sometimes you just can’t help cheering for an asshole with no manners, you know, it’s like he says the shit we’re all thinking anyway. 

**Exy Official App**

_ Breaking News: All-Star Striker Neil Josten Signs with Detroit Dragons  _

After several months of speculation, Palmetto State striker Neil Josten has signed his first professional contract with the Detroit Dragons. 

Josten  (click here for stats) has won two national championships with the Foxes and captained the team for his last three years at Palmetto State. Josten is one of the fastest strikers in NCAA Exy and was heavily recruited by several teams, including Denver, Los Angeles and Detroit. 

Detroit spent last season hovering at the bottom of their divisional standings, after several key players suffered injuries early in the season resulting in a diminished roster. The Dragons are hopeful that signing Josten is the first step in rebuilding a program that has never quite lived up to its potential. 

As for Josten’s motivations in accepting the Dragons’ offer, no official statement has been issued. It is speculated that Detroit promised to make Josten a starter, and that Josten was interested in making an impact on a team that has been struggling to find its offensive footing. 

When asked if Josten’s choice to sign with Detroit is due to his experience on the Foxes -- a team that went from the bottom of the standings to a national championship in a single season --  Josten’s former head coach David Wymack said it was entirely possible.  

“What can I say,” he said. “That kid never does anything the easy way.” 

****

**Official Exy App**

_ Countdown: 10 Matches You Won’t Want to Miss This Season _

And coming in at number one…

  1.  Detroit Dragons @ Chicago Cyclones



This early season game between divisional rivals is sure to be an interesting one! The Dragons have made extensive moves in the off-season to refocus their team identity as more offensive-minded, including signing speedy striker Neil Josten (Related:  Dragons Nab NCAA Champion Striker Neil Josten ). In a division heavily dominated by strong defensive teams like the rival Cyclones, this is a bold move for a struggling team that’s never quite managed to climb out of the bottom of the standings. 

It’s also the first time Josten will face his former teammate, Cyclone goalkeeper Andrew Minyard, whose surprise trade from Atlanta this summer was rife with speculation. (Related:  Is Andrew Minyard’s Attitude A Detriment to His Career ?) 

Josten and Minyard played together for four years at Palmetto State University, and this is the first time these former teammates will face each other as professionals -- and as rivals. Even if you’re not a fan of either team, this game is sure to be interesting!

(Click  here  to add Dragons @ Cyclones to your calendar) 

**Sports Psychology Today: Feature Article by Professor Garrett Sparks**

_ When Teammates Become Rivals, Or Why We Care About Neil Josten Vs. Andrew Minyard  _

Finding yourself on the Court playing against a former teammate is certainly not unheard of in the world of professional sports. So why is the Exy world abuzz now that it’s happening with Detroit Dragons striker Neil Josten and Chicago Cyclones goalkeeper Andrew Minyard? 

Good question. To answer it, we have to go back to where it all began -- to a little town in South Carolina and a university called Palmetto State, and an NCAA Class I team called the Foxes. 

If you’re an Exy fan, you know all about the Foxes. They were the first team to dethrone the Edgar Allan Ravens, the team who’d dominated collegiate Exy and who’d never lost a single game. Despite being outnumbered and -- as the pundits said -- out-talented, the ragtag team of Foxes stormed the walls of Castle Evermore and came away victorious with a National Championship. A video of that last-second buzzer-beater goal of Kevin Day’s has more than a million views on YouTube, and is featured in just about every “greatest moments in sports” montage ever produced. 

But the aftermath of that pivotal game was much more significant than a championship changing hands or a feel-good underdog story for the masses. With the Foxes’ win came a period of intense scrutiny of a sport many think is already far too violent, centered around the juggernaut that was the NCAA’s prize Exy franchise -- the Edgar Allan Ravens. 

The Foxes vs. Ravens championship game at Castle Evermore remains one of the most violent in the history of the sport, culminating in the tragic suicide of Ravens’ captain, Riko Moriyama, mere hours after the Ravens’ loss. Revelations from former players about the intense hazing and toxic environment led to heavy sanctions against the Ravens from which they have yet to fully recover -- and put the rest of the sport under a microscope, from the little leagues all the way to the US Court. The inquiry resulted several long-overdue changes, most notably the increase in the minimum roster size and the prohibition on exclusive collegiate athlete housing, exemplified by the formidable “Nest” at Castle Evermore. 

Following their historic victory, things were not easy for the Foxes. The newly-crowned champions were dealing with a variety of personal issues that went far beyond those faced by most college students. In addition to being named vice-captain, Freshman Neil Josten had to deal with helping the FBI dismantle an empire of organized criminals for which his father was an enforcer. Twins Andrew and Aaron Minyard, along with their cousin and fellow teammate Nicky Hemmick, were required to testify in a murder trial. 

And you think you had a tough year.

But the Foxes did not falter, and faced these challenges with the same undeniable spirit with which they’d faced the unbeatable Edgar Allan Ravens. The team added new members and eventually lost the core members of that championship team, but they were all united under a glaring orange banner --  _ we were Foxes, we were here. And we survived, prevailed, and conquered.  _

For them, Exy wasn’t just a sport. It was a lifeline. 

But that was then, and this is now. The Foxes have left the den, and only a handful of them are continuing their journey with Exy -- Kevin Day, Matt Boyd, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard. Of the four, Josten was the last to retire his Foxes jersey and head out into the “real world”, where Exy isn’t a savior but a career. A job. 

It is Neil Josten’s job to score goals. It is Andrew Minyard’s to stop them. And it is ours, the fans, to watch breathlessly while these athletes give everything they have to their sport. But will it be enough? Will Exy be enough for Josten and Minyard, if it isn’t couched in survival and the constant battle of humanity that is the essence of sports? That remains to be seen. 

We’ve seen Josten and Minyard battle together, one standing in front of the other, for years. Now we will watch them battle against each other, warriors turned adversaries in a contest that is no less thrilling for its lack of meaning. Adversity brings out the best in us, and perhaps that’s the reason why Josten chose to sign with the Dragons. Another team with an uphill battle, another team with something to prove. 

As for Minyard, the media can spin his trade all they want and frame it terms of Exy and team requirements, statistics and “missing pieces”...but we all know better. Minyard doesn’t have former teammate Kevin Day’s easy charm with the media, nor does he share Josten’s outspokenness and clear passion for his sport. Minyard is an enigma who is apparently unlikeable in the locker room despite his undeniable skill, and even his fans aren’t sure what, exactly, he represents. 

But he does have fans. Minyard’s jersey was among the most ordered from the Jackrabbits’ pro-shop. Maybe his fans can’t express what it is they connect with when it comes to Minyard, but it’s clearly something even if it's undefinable. My take on it is that Minyard represents the part of us that fights even when we don’t want to, the part of us that resists the common expectations which are so often placed upon us. 

Together, as teammates, Josten and Minyard represented the balance that is essential in living one’s best life: fight and move forward if you can toward your goal, and know when to be quiet and say  _ no, you will not get past me, you will not win, I am guarding my goal and this is a line you will not cross.  _

It is fitting that Josten is set to don a Dragons’ uniform. Like his new mascot, Josten is a fire-breathing, relentless, somewhat mythical creature whose very existence seems larger than life. And Minyard is the perfect manifestation of a Cyclone; an inescapable, violent maelstrom of unpredictability, where your only chance of survival is to hunker down and wait out the storm. 

What happens when a dragon battles a force of nature? That’s what we’re all waiting to find out. 

Sports is never just a game, no matter how hard we try to frame it that way. For the former Foxes Minyard and Josten, it never really was. Exy was so intimately tied to survival and triumph for these players that one has to wonder if they will ever be able to look at the game any other way. Will they face each other with that same attitude of  _ we have nothing to lose, we will fight to the end  _ with which they faced the Ravens? Can we, the fans, watch a united front broken in two and fighting against each other and see it as anything other than a subtle metaphor for our own internal struggles? 

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.  

_ Guest columnist Garrett Sparks is a professor at Duke University, and holds a dual degree in English and Psychology with an emphasis in sports psychology from Brown. He is the author of  _ Existentialism and Exy: What Sports Teaches Us About Ourselves _ ,  _ Exy: Birth of a Modern Sport  _ and  _ Striker, Dealer, Keeper: An Analysis of Personality Types in Professional Exy..  _ His aim to explore the psychology of athleticism in order to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.  _

***

**Share This Article Via Email [Matt Boyd to Dan Wilds]**

Matt Boyd read the article  When Teammates Become Rivals, Or Why We Care About Neil Josten Vs. Andrew Minyard and thinks you might like it, too! Click the link to read.  

_ Dan, all I gotta say is -- if Andrew Minyard is the embodiment of our humanity, we are screwed. _

_ But we’re getting Neil a stuffed dragon for xmas, y/n?  _

_ Also, where’s the smarty-pants article talking about how it’s so fitting that I play for the Stallions since I’m such a stud lmao  _

***

**ExyBuzz.com: Behind the Stats**

_ Is the Rivalry Between Dragons Striker Neil Josten and Cyclones Goalkeeper Andrew Minyard Nothing More Than a Publicity Stunt?  _

((photo: Andrew Minyard and Neil Josten sharing a smoke behind Jackrabbit Court in Atlanta last season following a Jackrabbits game. Minyard was the goalkeeper and Josten was playing his final year with the Foxes. Josten is wearing a Jackrabbits sweater with Minyard’s name and number on it.))

With both beginning their first season with a new team -- Josten’s first professional season, and Minyard’s second -- the media has made quite a bit of their newfound status as rivals. But there’s a very good chance, insiders say, that this is nothing more than a savvy attempt to use the media to increase ticket sales. 

“If the PR people for those teams are worth their paychecks, you bet they’re talking this up,” says Violet Tate, noted public relations and media expert. “It’s a simple strategy. Use a human interest story to build curiosity and get people in seats, then hope the game convinces them to come back even after the hubbub dies down.” 

There’s no doubt that the Josten-Minyard rivalry is the talk of the off-season, which is interesting considering Josten will face his other former teammates -- including Kevin Day, whom Josten considers a mentor, and backliner Matthew Boyd -- during the course of the season. So why not the same intense focus on these match-ups? 

“There’s something a little more visceral, a little more exciting, about a striker -- a player whose entire purpose is offensive in nature, specifically to score goals -- playing against a goalkeeper, whose job is to stop them. Add in their past history as teammates and it pretty much writes itself,” says Exy anaylst Jennifer Morgan. 

Of course, last season saw Minyard face off against his former teammate Day, and while that game did garner a lot of attention, it wasn’t anything like the hype surrounding the Minyard-Josten matchup. 

“Well, you have to consider the personalities involved,” Morgan explains. “Day has grown up with Exy. He’s a consummate professional and deals with fans and the media exactly how you’d think he would. Day’s the kind of player whose post-game interviews end up on ESPN and Exy.com. He was asked about the match-up when Minyard was with the Jackrabbits, and made it clear he had nothing but respect for Minyard’s talent.” (Related:  Kevin Day Says He’s Ready To Face Former Teammate Andrew Minyard in Game Against Jackrabbits, Praises Minyard’s Skill ) 

“Now you have Neil Josten, and that’s a totally different story,” says Morgan. “The press loves him, but for different reasons. They get their headlines from Day, and their soundbites from Josten.” 

Josten does have a history of being outspoken with the press, starting in his freshman year with his infamous call-outs against the top-ranked Ravens and continuing up through his final season with the Foxes. (Related:  Top Ten Most Outrageous Neil Josten Media Quotes ) 

“Add that to Minyard’s rather brusque nature with the press, for which he’s received a fair amount of criticism, and you have everything you need for a good story,” Morgan says. “Everyone’s waiting to hear what the hotheaded Josten has to say about Minyard, now that they’re not playing together. It’s basically Exy clickbait.”

But if the picture snapped by a fan last season is anything to go by, people may be disappointed. According to one member of Minyard’s former team, Josten was a regular at Jackrabbits’ games -- both home and away. 

“Yeah, he showed up a lot, actually,” says Minyard’s former teammate, who prefers to remain anonymous. “Basically if Josten’s college team wasn’t playing and we were, he was there. It was kind of weird because they never seemed to be all that friendly with each other, and yet I’m pretty sure Josten was driving that flashy car of Minyard’s and they always left together after games, so who knows. No one wanted to ask Minyard what was up. No one wanted to ask Minyard much of anything.” 

ExyBuzz.Com caught up with Matthew Boyd, former Fox and current backliner for the Nashville Stallions, and asked if he thought it was possible for Josten and Minyard to become rivals after their time together at PSU.

“Absolutely,” he says with a laugh. “There’s no one alive Neil can’t piss off with that mouth of his, and Andrew doesn’t like anybody. ” 

Given the frequency with which Josten and Minyard’s teams play each other, it’s entirely possible that if there’s not a rivalry now, one may develop during the course of the season. After all, this is Exy -- stranger things have definitely happened. 

( Click here to buy tickets for all home games )

***

**Detroit Sports Today**

_ Exclusive Interview with New Dragon Neil Josten  _

I catch up with Dragons’ striker Neil Josten in the locker room following practice, and it’s the first time in a long while I’ve been nervous to do an interview. There are many in the Dragons’ organization that see him as the future of a team beleaguered by on-court problems, and I know he has a complicated history with the press. The last thing I want to do is alienate him. 

I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but I’ve watched enough interviews with Josten to half-expect him to start off with an incendiary greeting and an aggressively tilted chin. Instead, he shakes my hand and greets me in a voice much quieter than I expected. At just shy of five-three, Josten isn’t physically imposing, but the scars and the sharp gaze lend him a bit of quiet menace that admittedly plays well on the court. 

We talk for a few minutes about the city, about adjusting to post-collegiate life and starting a career that has nothing to do with your major. (Which, if you’re curious, is mathematical sciences. Yes, really.) Josten is polite, professional, and I’m beginning to wonder if this is the same guy who once called out Riko Moriyama on a national talk show when he was a freshman in college. 

He smiles when I ask him about the Foxes, and it’s a genuine smile if not a wide one. His affection for his alma mater is evident in the quietest of ways, especially when he talks about his former coach, David Wymack. 

“I had a...complicated family life,” says Josten, which is possibly the understatement of the year if you know anything about Josten’s history. “Wymack gave me a team and a family, and at the same time, helped make me a champion. I’ll miss him, yeah. But I feel like...every time I play the game, now, he’s there. Somehow. Probably telling me to stop running my mouth and score some goals.” 

We talk a little about his signing with Detroit and what drew him to the Dragons (besides the flattering color scheme, which he admits is much better than the Foxes’ glaring orange) and he thinks for a long time before he answers. 

“I know the Dragons want to change up their style,” he says, shifting his bag to his other shoulder. During the entirety of our interview, Josten looks as if he could bolt at any second if necessary. “I know they want to focus more on offense, and I liked that. I didn’t want to just jump into a team with a perfect record. I’m here to play Exy, and I want it to mean something. I don’t just want to perform. I want it to matter.”

It’s a good answer, and one I’m sure the fans will be happy to hear given how high the expectations are that Josten will make a considerable influence on the team this year. Which is, of course, what I ask him about next. 

“Are you at all worried about the high expectations you’re under?” I ask. “It’s a lot, for a guy as young as you are.” 

Now I get the chin-tilt, and there’s a little more volume and a lot more grit in his voice when he answers. “I played for years with Kevin Day. I don’t know what other kinds of expectations exist when it comes to Exy. No, I’m not worried.”

“Speaking of your former teammates,” I say. “How does it feel to know you’re about to be rivals with your former goalkeeper, Andrew Minyard?” 

“It’s how it goes in the pro’s,” he says with a shrug. “Rivals become teammates. Teammates become rivals. It’s weird to put on a new uniform after five years, and yeah, it’ll be weird to see my former teammates in different colors. But Exy...Exy is always going to be Exy. And I’m always going to want to score, no matter who is in my way.” 

“Any idea why the media is making such a big deal about this particular rivalry with this particular teammate?” I ask. 

“Not really.” Josten’s look is so deadpan, I can’t decide if he’s serious. “I guess it’s because I’m a loudmouth and Andrew’s...Andrew,” he says, finally. 

That’s such a good quote, I almost expect him to tell me not to use it. “You’re pretty quiet for a loudmouth,” I can’t resist pointing out.

“That’s because you haven’t pissed me off yet,” he says. “And you know, our two teams are rivals. They were rivals before Andrew and I ended up on them, so I imagine that’s part of it.” 

“It’s kind of a one-sided rivalry,” I have to admit. I write about the Dragons because I love them, but I’m not blind to their faults. “Pretty much everyone will tell you the Cylcones are a better team, and with all the changes this off-season to the lineup, I’m sure no one expects us to actually win.” 

That gets me a different kind of smile, one that doesn’t quite reach his cool eyes. That’s when I realize I’m looking at the Neil Josten I’ve seen on interviews, the one I’ve seen making impossible shots on the court. “Believe me,” he says, and the words ring out in the empty locker room, echoing off tile and metal and glass. “I’m used to that.” 

“So you’re not worried about facing one of the best goaltenders in the league, who’s team consistently outplays yours?” 

“Outplay _ ed _ ,” says Josten, the emphasis clear.  “And no. I’m not worried.”  

My Dragons’ fanboy heart is beating fast at the thought that maybe, for once, I’m not going to watch my team lose all season. That’s the thing about Josten. He has an ability to make you believe the things he’s saying are true, even though there’s no way he could possibly know that. 

“I guess if anyone knows how to score on Minyard, it’s you,” I say.

“If you think Andrew’s that easy to figure out, you haven’t watched him play,” says Josten.  “The minute Andrew becomes predictable is the minute he’ll retire.” 

That seems to fit with what I’ve heard of Minyard, who once answered the question “ _ what’s the worst-case scenario you can imagine happening in a game _ ?” with “ _ I’m bored. _ ” 

“So you expect him to make things difficult for you, is what you’re saying.” 

Josten smiles. It’s small and contained, but this time it reaches his eyes and brightens them like sunlight. “Oh, yeah. Always.”

_ Rick Vaughan is the official reporter for the Chicago Cyclones for the Detroit Sports Today. He is a Dragons fan and plays backliner on a beer-league Exy team, and loves everything to do with the sport. Immediately after this interview, he bought himself a brand-new Josten jersey.  _

***

**ExyBuzz.Com: Behind the Stats**

_ Former Raven Backliner Sean Thomas Says Andrew Minyard Not A Problem In The Locker Room _

When controversial goalkeeper Andrew Minyard was traded from the Atlanta Jackrabbits to the Chicago Cyclones this summer, rumors ran rampant that the underlying issue was Minyard’s notoriously taciturn attitude with both fellow teammates and the media. Sources say that Minyard was not well-liked and had “personality clashes” with the Jackrabbits management over interacting with the press. (Related:  Exy Goalkeeper Blows Smoke at Reporter For Criticizing His Smoking Habit )

Exy players often say that fans and media don’t understand the impact negative tension can have on a team in the locker room, and how that transfers onto the court. “Teams rise and fall together,” says former player-turned-analyst Ryan Hainsey. “If you’ve got a player with a bad attitude in there, yeah, it can really be a detriment. Is that the case with Minyard? Hard to tell. We know he’s not the most well-liked guy in the league, but he’s a phenomenal player and the Jackrabbits had their best season with him on the roster. So, who knows what happened -- maybe it really was as simple as the Jackrabbits thinking about the future and wanting those draft picks and a dealer.” 

Regardless of why the Jackrabbits elected to trade their star goalkeeper, many wondered if Minyard’s troubles would follow to his new team. Minyard played five years for the Foxes at Palmetto State University, and was part of the team that dethroned the then-undefeated Edgar Allan Ravens in the national championships. The rivalry between the two teams was violent and intense, and while it’s cooled considerably in recent years, there’s still a lot of ugly history between players from that era. 

Chicago has three former Ravens currently on their roster -- and their head coach, Mike Gordon, is an Edgar Allan graduate as well. While none of the Cyclones played for Edgar Allan during Minyard’s tenure, the possibility for tension still seemed likely. 

Except that, according to one of Minyard’s new teammates, it hasn’t happened. 

“I think people are making a bigger deal than they need to about Minyard being a Fox,” says backliner -- and former Raven -- Sean Thomas. “That was years ago, and we’re all professionals here. We’re a team that is used to winning, and that means more in the Cyclone locker room than where you went to college.” 

Thomas says that he would be surprised if the trade was due to Minyard’s attitude. “I mean, I don’t know what their locker room is like but, like I said, we’re professionals. We’re here to play Exy, not make friends. If they’re really gonna trade a guy with Minyard’s skill because he’s not chatty and he hates giving interviews? That’s their problem.” 

In fact, Thomas thinks this might be why Minyard hasn’t had any trouble with his new team. “At Edgar Allan, they made it clear that even if we weren’t being paid, Exy was our job. We were expected to put the game before everything, and sure, I mean, we all know how that turned out. But when we’re here, in the locker room or on the court? That’s kind of the attitude we have, especially the other Ravens.”

When asked if Thomas or his teammates had any reservations about playing with Minyard given his prior legal troubles and rumored past behavioral  issues, Thomas said absolutely not. “I played for the Ravens for five years under Coach Moriyama,” he adds. “It’d be pretty hypocritical of me to get all riled up about that, wouldn’t it? Look, a lot of players in this league have, uh, colorful pasts. Minyard’s never once tried to hide or gloss over his, and I respect that. We all do. If they didn’t, in Atlanta...like I said. Their loss. We’re glad to have him.”

Thomas also says he thinks the media is making way too much of Minyard’s attitude just in general. “Is he the friendliest guy you’ll ever meet? No, definitely not. He made it clear from the get-go he doesn’t like to talk. But he’s not coming in and bitching up a storm or complaining, which honestly would be way more of an issue in our locker room than him being quiet and wanting to be left alone. As long as he holds the line when it comes time to play, I couldn’t care less if he’s not interested in making friends.” 

When asked about the upcoming game against the rival Dragons and Minyard’s former teammate Neil Josten, Thomas says he has no idea what his teammate thinks about the matchup and doesn’t much care. “If he’s got thoughts about it, I don’t know what they are. Like I said, he doesn’t say much.” 

Cyclones’ coach Mike Gordon has said in previous interviews that he was excited to sign Minyard, in part because of his tenure as a PSU Fox. “Yeah, I’m a Raven and proud of it. And the Foxes toppled us out of first place and ended a legacy -- who the hell wouldn’t want someone like that on their team? Don’t forget, Minyard just as easily could have been a Raven -- and probably should have been. Edgar Allan might have fucked up recruiting him back in the day, but I’m not gonna make that mistake.”

Gordon also has no issues with Minyard’s smoking, a habit for which he’s been routinely criticized. 

“Look, goalkeeper is the most stressful goddamn position you can play in this game,” says Gordon, who was himself a goalkeeper for Edgar Allan. “Hell, if he holds our line like he did in Atlanta or PSU, he can smoke during the goddamn game for all I care.” 

(The Cyclones’ management would like to remind fans that no smoking is allowed at any time inside the Cyclone Court.)

***

**Pre-Game Coverage on NBCSN**

“So, Jim, did you manage to talk to either of the two stars of tonight’s game?” 

“Well, yes, Krista. I sure did. I spoke earlier with Neil Josten, and asked him what he had to do mentally to view Andrew Minyard as an enemy instead of an ally.” 

“And what did he say?” 

“Ah...he said, 'nothing'.”

“That’s...how interesting! And did you manage to get a quote from Minyard on what he thinks about tonight’s game and playing his former teammate?” 

“I asked him if he was looking forward to playing against Josten, yes.” 

“And what did he say?” 

“....he yawned.”

****

**Official Exy App**

Final Score Update: Dragons @ Cyclones …. Dragons 7,  **Cyclones 9**

*******

**Post-Game Text messages between Andrew Minyard and Neil Josten**

Neil: the media thinks we hate each other 

Andrew: then I guess they finally got something right

Neil: I’ll be at your place in 10 mins 

Neil: you want me to bring something for dinner?

Andrew: yeah pick up some ice cream and cigarettes or I’m not letting you in 

Neil: I have a key

Andrew: I have a bad attitude what’s your point

Neil: like i could forget. See you soon.  

**Author's Note:**

> Oh! Oh! There is fanart for this story, which is amazing to me. It's [Neil and Andrew in their new jerseys, and I can't tell you how great this is okay](https://startingstriker-psu.tumblr.com/post/163956483720/fanart-for-frostandcoal-s-amazing-fic). It's by Startingstriker_PSU on tumblr and I LOVE IT <3


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